Engine starter



March 4, 1930. w, CHRYST 1,749,320

ENGINE STARTER 2 Sheets-Sheet" 1 Original Filed April 11,'192 7 w. A.CHRYST 1,749,320

ENGINE STARTER March 4, 1930.

Original Filed April 11, 1927 2 Sheets-Shut 2 IIIII! I II IIIII l'intecl Mae-i930 it i, y i 5 f ff; -UN1TED "STAT P T OFFICE [WILLIAAncHRYs'r, or. DAYTON," OHIO, AssIGNo TO DELCO-REMY CORFORATION, I or DAON; OHIO, A coRPoRATI oNo'F DELAWARE I I I ENGINE STARTER Y Applicationnieii' epril 11, 7, Serial No. 182,604. Renewed m 2, 1929.

' This invention. relates I to apparatus for. attached by anysuitablemeans not'shown to I making aninternal-combustion engine; and ahousing 21. 'The field frame 20. and the more particularly to that typeof apparatus l1ousingf2l support'a shaft 22 which is operwhichincludesan'electric motor operating a 'ated by the electric motor said shaft 22shaft which is normally disconnected from usually being an extension ofthe motor arthe engine, but may be connected"therewith mature shaft; Theshaft 22 is provided with 'by mea-nsincludinga pinion movable alongspiral splines 23 and that portion of the theshaft into engagementwitlithe 'gear'and splines 23 which is located between the lines L enginetobe started and to rotate with the 23 and 23 in Fig. 1 is slightlysmaller in 'm shaft,"said connecting means including prodiameter thanthe'diameter of the remain:

.visions wherebythepinionwill be automatiing spirally spline'd portion.The shaft 22 cally demeshed from. the engine gear when is provided withan'annular groove 24;, which the engine becomes self-operative. receivesthe'wire split ring 25. The shaft 22 V -One object of the presentinvention is to cooperates withthrust washer 26 bearing r minimize wearand breakage Lof the gear against a machined surface 27 provided by" Iteeth by providing'tmanu ally"operable means the housing 21'. I I

I ofsimple and economical construction for j A pinion 30, which isprovided internally Inoving'the' pinion axially-into engagement withspiral splines, is mounted to slide lon- 'withlthe engine gear andfor'rotating the gitudinally along the shaft 22 into engage pinion incase of gear tooth abutment in Inent withthe flywheel gear 31 ofanengine order that the pinion may be nearly fully to be started.Normally the pinion 30 is out fme shed with .the engine gear before themo of mesh with engine gear3l and is supported tor is operated. i i I Iby that portion of the splines 23 which is of IN "Further objects andadvantages. ofthe smaller diameter, namely that portion 10- 4 presentinvention will be apparent-from the cated between the lines 23 and 23The following descriptionpreference being had splined portion of smallerdiameter is conto theaccompan'ying drawings, wherein a nected with thesplined portion of larger preferred embodiment of oneform of thediameter by shoulder portions 32, which I present invention is clearlyshown. I serveas obstructions tending to prevent I 30 I I th drawings; idrifting of the pinion into engagement with 30 F'ggl isafragmentary-view partly 111110 11 engine gear while the engine isrunning. 7 .gitudinalsection' showinga form of engine When. the pinionisin full mesh with theenj starting apparatus embodyingthe present] ginegear, the wire split ring 25 will be reinvention, the apparatus beingshown in norceived by an annular groove 33 provided on 'mal position inwhich the motor pinion is the interior of the pinion hub. As the piniondisconnected from 'the engine gear I 3O ismoved toward the right of thedrawings r Fig. 2 is a sectionaliview on thelinef2 2j into engagementwith the ring 25, said ring of Fig. 1; I I I is first engaged by anannular abutment 34 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2 showing. of smallerinternal diameter than the nor I a modified form oftheinventionqi Imal'external diameter of the ring 25. As the Fig. 4 is a view similartoFig, lfshowing pinion is forced against the ring,,the ring the ap aratusin condition for starting the will be contracted slightly in order thatthe enginiejand I I I I obstruction 34'may pass over it. Then the 1 Fig.5 is a viewsi milarto Fig. 1 showing ringwill 'expand'into'the groove33. When the apparatus after theengine has become the engine becomesself-operative and the slf-operativeQbut before the manually Lop" pinionisautomatically demeshed from the erable member which controls thestarter has engine gear, the ring 25 will contract again tobeenreturned-to'normal position. Tr I permit the obstruction 34 to passbeyond it. y Referring to the drawings,20, designates In this way thepinion is yieldingly mainithe field frame of an electric: motor which istained in substantially full mesh with the endrawings and also as, amember for yield ingly maintaining the pinion'in full mesh with theengine gear. i

The housingo21supports a bolt; or stub shaft 40 which provides a journalfor the hub 41 of a manually operable'le'ver 42.1 The arm 42 of thelever42 is so locatedlas to engage the plunger 43 of'a. starting motor switch44, the casing 45 of which is secured to the field frame 20 by screws46. :The lever arm 42 is connected with a pedal 47,'wlhich extendsthrough a cup-shaped member 48 carried by the floor board 49 ofthe ammo,bile, 'A spring 50, which is locatedbetween the member 48 and the headof the rod 47, tends tomaintain the lever 42 in the position shown inFig. 1. 7

, In order that the pinion 30 may be moved into mesh with the enginegear 31 before the motor switch is closed,- means arelprovided fortransmitting motion from the lever 42't0 the pinion 30 so that thepinionwill be moved endwise into mesh with gear 31 and willbe rotated incase the teeth of the pinioncollide with the end faces of the teeth ofthe gear 31, said means being so constructedand arran edthat the motorswitch cannot be closed until the pinion has been substantially meshedwith the engine gear and that there will be no interference withdenieshing of the'pinion fromthe engine gear after? the engine startsalthough the lever 42 may still be maintainedflinoperating position.

The motion transmitting means comprise chiefly two members which areconnected for movement together longitudinally of the shaft so that oneof the members. mayengage thepinion 30 to move it into mesh with thegear 31, the connection between said members being such that in casemotion of the pinion is: arrested by the engine gear; one of the memberswill impart rotary motionto the other-member which engages the pinion.

The pinion engaging member andv pinion" provide ax1ally= engagingclutching dev ces so that the rotary motion produced by the motiontransmitting means will be imparted tothe' pinion. One of the motiontransmit ting members is a pin or stud 51 which isattached to thearmfl42 of the lever 42, and, the otherv member is a. sleeve orpinion-pushing element 52 which is provided with a slot 53 locatedobliquely to the axis of the shaft 42 and adapted to receive the pin 51.1 v

The sleeve 52 is provided with teeth 54 which function as a drivingclutch member for axially engaging a driven clutch member provided bybeveling, as shown at 55in Fig.

order to provide clutch teeth 56.- In the par:

'ticular form of the invention shown in. the

drawings the pinion is a nine tooth pinion and hence is provided withnine clutch teeth "56. i Th'esleeve 52 maybe provided with nine teeth54, b nt if it'is/desirablefto reduce the maximum of lost rotary motionbetween the clutch members, the sleeve may have a mul tiple of thenumber ofteeth 56, for example The sleeve 52vis formed preferably from ablank or punching of flatsheet material which is providedinitially withthe teeth 54 and the/slot 53 The blank is formed into a cylinder toprovide the sleeve. 52 which is s'upportedby a hub 60, having spacedflanges 61 and 62 so as to define an annular space 63 which imayfreceiveone end 'ofthe pin 51. f

Theflange 62 ispro'vided with an annular groove 64 and the wall ofthesleeve 5-2 is forced into the groove 64 asindicated by theannulargroove 65in the sleeve. This con- 7 j structio'n tends to stiffenthe sleeve, to pre% vent it'unfolding from cylindrical form and toprevent relative long tudinal I movement between. the hub and thesleeve. 7 o I .o

The metho'dnof using "the invention is as 2 follows a @Normally thestarting apparatus isoin the positionshown in Fig. '1 in which the.pinion 30;is,deme shed from the engine gear and themotor switch isopen.i, To start the enginethe pedal 47 is depressed thereby cansing thelever '42 to rotatecounterclockwise in order to move the pin 51vand,thesleeve 52 longitudinallyof the shaft and to the right 7 i of thedrawings. The slot 53 is a spiral of variable pitch and the pin 51engages 7 that portion ofthe slot wall which is the'lesser in pitch sothat, initially; thetendencyof the pinto movegthe sleeve52longitudinally is greaterjthan the tendency to rotate the sleeve;therefgrethe sleeve 52'willmove toward the right and the clutch teeth 54will engage the" clutch teeth 56 provided by'the pinion 30. In; casethepinion teeth abut the ends of the. gear teeth, motion: of the "sleeve52 will be arrested; but, the operator. continues to; press the pedal47; the pinion 30 will :be rotated due to the o cooperationiof the pin51*withfthe spiralslot 53 of the sleeve.

When the pinion teethregister with the gear tooth space. of the gear thepinion 30" will moveintomesh withthe gear 31. After the pinion 30 hasbeen: nearly fully meshed with the gear 31, the lever arml42 will engagethe switch plunger 43 and the motor switch '44 will be closed. ilVhenthis occurs, the shaft 22 will'be rotated, in a clockwise direction asviewed from the rightlof the drawings and as indicated by'the arrows 7Oin'Figs. 1 and 4, thereby causing the 131111011130iJO'fbGfIllOVGCl awayfrom the sleeve thenithe pinion 30will rotate with the shaft 22 and theengine gear 31 will be rotated to crank the engine. I i i {.IVhen theengine becomes self-operative the. pinion will beautomatically demeshed.Demeshing'will occur althoughthe operator .ma'ymaintain pressure uponthepedal 47, as it isapparent from Figs. 4: and that the sleeve 52 isfree to move toward the leftin order not to interfere with thedenieshingof thezpinionf While the pin and slot connections between the.sleeve'and' the lever permit movement of tlie sleeve the pinion v 1when the pinion is demeshed from the engine i gear, this operation doesnot always'occur.

It happens more frequently that the sleeve 521151'6t111116d to normalpositionbefore' the engine becomes.self-operative. This feature of theinvention is' due to the fact that there is always some friction betweenthe sleeve hub and the shaft 22; therefore when the ishaft 22isoperated'by the motor, the hub toand the sleeve 52 ,iiiill be rotatedin the directionof thearrow while the pin'51 is maintained in theposition shown iirFig. 4; Consequentlythe rotation of the .shaft .22 3before theengine becomes self-operative I will cause the sleeve 52 to bethreaded along the pin 51 anew be moved into the normal or non-operatingposition shown in Fig. 5. Therefore demeshing ofthe' pinion 32 willytake place without any engagement between the clutch teeth. '54 and.56. h

After the operator releases the pedal 47,

" the spring 50' will be released to. move the j pedal upwardly and toreturn the lever 42 to the position show'n'in Fig.1. During thisoperation a'spring-43 jfwill be released to *moverthe switch plunger' l3from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig.

Iin ordertoopen the motor switch.

, Means cooperatingw'ith the sleeve 52 and theshaft 22 are provided forresisting the "tendency of the sleeve to rotate at the be- 7 ginning ofits movement from non-operating position, or'tow'ard the right from theposition shown in Fig. 1. This means comprises a metal brake disc80.fiXed to the shaft.

J22, a floating disc 81 of yieldable material,

such as cork, and a brake disc 82 attached tothe sleeve hub 60. Disc82is provided with a hole for receiving a tang 83 provided by thesleeve52,-in order driving ly to con- 'nect said disc and sleeve. The parts80,81

and 82are maintained normally in engagement by thespring 50 which urgesthe lever arm42 t0ward the left as viewed in'Fig.

1. Hence, normally, the brake members80, '81'and 82 tend to maintainthesleeve 52 fixedrelative to the shaft 22. IVhen the lever arm42 beginsits movement toward the right, the brake members are apparently notinstantly disengaged, but tend to resist rotation of the sleeve 52 afterthe sleeve has 7 begun tomove'toward jthe right. Apparfor the sleeve torotate.

ently the cork disc 81 expands axially suffioiently to maintain frictionbetween. the brake members after mot-ion of the sleeve has begun.- Sinceresistance to endwise movement of the sleeve is overcome before 1;.removing resistance to rotation of the sleeve, I

the tendency of the sleeve to move endwise will be greater, initially,than the tendency Hence the possibility of the sleeve rotating withoutmoving endwise has been minimized. I

The brake members 80, 81 and 82 cooperate with the pinion shiftingmechanism for the further purpose of bringing the motor shaft 22 quicklyto rest after the operator releases the pedal 47. It is apparent thatthe spring 50 will urge the brake member 82 toward the brake members 81and 80. Since the brake member 82 is prevented from rotating freely withthe shaft 22 by reason of engagement of the pin51 with the sleeve 52,the brake disc 82 will function as a stationary brake membercooperatingwith the movable brake discs quickly, to arrest motion of theshaft 22. In case the engine should make a false start, that is, if theengine should become self-operative for a time sufficient to demesh thepinion 30 fromthe gear 31 but should not continue to Y means comprises aresilient leaf spring arm 7 attached by rivets 91 to the lever arm 42"and adjacentits free end with a stud 92' engageable with a groove orslot 93, formed in the sleeve 52. The groove 93 is'so shaped that,during movement of the sleeve 52 toward theright until the pinion 30engages the fiywheel gear 31, the end of the stud 92 will remain in theslot 93. In this way the stud 92 of the arin 9O cooperates to resistrotation of the sleeve. f This is a'desirable feature because there is atendency for the sleeve 52 to rotate due to the cooperation between thepin 51 and the helical slot 53; Although the slot 53 is shaped so that,initially, the tendency of the sleeve to move longitudinally is greaterthan its tendency to rotate as it begins its movement toward the rightfrom the position shown in Fig. 1, itstill remains a fact that thetendency to rotate exists during the counterclockwise movement of thelever 4L2. The more this tendency is resisted the more 1 device.

reliable will be In Fig. 3 there is shown a modifiedform of the devicejust described. "In this form of the invention the stud 51 is providedwith a centralbore for receiving a plunger 95and with a recess 96 forreceiving a spring 97 which urges the plunger 95 into a groove 98provided by the hub 60. The spring 97 is retainedby a block 99screw-threaded within therecess 96 of the stud 51. The groove 98cooperates with the plunger 95 in aomanner similar to the cooperation ofthe pin 92 with the groove 93 in Fig. 1.

. In case of back-fire duringthe gear meshing 1 operation, the p1n1o nwill be moved toward,

the right from the position shown in Fig. l, and out of engagement withthe sleeve clutch teeth. a

From the foregoing descriptionof the construction and'mode of operationof the present invention it will be apparentthat the invention possessesthe advantages'of simplicity and durability of construction andreliability of operation. ."The number of parts required for the starterdrive is very small and they may be constructed and assembled at verylow cost. Owing to the simplicity of construction the parts may be maderelatively rugged and substantial and therefore very durable. VVith thisform of invention the starter pinion ismeshed with the engine gearbefore the motor is operated, hence liability-of danger to the gearteeth has been substantially reduced. The pinion may be demeshed fromtheengine gear automatically, should the operator forget to release thestarter pedal when theengine becomes self-operative. Since the starterdrive provides no obstruction'to the -demeshing movement of the pinionthe apparatus will be relatively quiet in operation.

7 While the form of embodiment of the presentinvention as hereindisclosed, constitutes a 1. Engine starting apparatus comprising,

in combination, a motor; a shaft operated by the motor; means forconnecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started andincluding a pinion'mounted on the shaft for longitudinalmovenient'thereof and rotary movement therewithand provisions wherebythe pinion will be automatically deme shed from the engine gear when theengine starts; means for shifting the pinion endwise into mesh with theengine gear and for rotating the pinion case the pinion teeth collidewith the engine .gear teeth said means including a sleeveelementmovable'along the shaft :and provided with a slot obliqueto theshaft and a manually operable element carrying a pin movablelongitudinally of the shaft and engaging the slot whereby the pintheoperation of the starting" v V i .mesh with theengine gear wherebythe sleeve and sleeve element'may'. move the pinion into n resistrotation of the sleeve element relative to the shaft, one of saidelements (the manually operable element or thesleeve element) beingprovided with a projection extending towardthe other element andnormally re ccived by a recess provided in the ctherelement, andresilient means for retaining said projection in said recess; j. i

2. Engine starting'apparatus according to claim 1, in which the means.tending to resist rotation of the sleeve element relative to the shaftcomprises a projection carried by the manually operable element andnormally ext nding into a recess provided by the sleeve',

and a --spring carried by themanually oper-. able element forresiliently reta ning the pm j ection in the recess. I v,

Engine startingapparatus according to clann 1,111 wlnchthemeanstend'mgjto re sist rotation of the sleeve element relative to the shaftcomprises a plunger guided by the pin andmovable toward the sleeveinto'engagement with a recess providedbiy the sleeve,

and a spring carried by the manually operable element foru'rglng theplungertoward the sleeve. I

4. Engine startingapparatus according to claim 1,"1n which the meanstending to-resist rotation of the sleeve element relativeto the 1 shaftcomprises a plunger guided by the pin and a. spring located within arecess provided by said pin for urging the plunger. toward the pin for.retaining the spring.

5. Enginestarting apparatus comprl the motor; means for. connecting theshaft withthe gear of an engine to be startedjand i including a pinionmounted on the shaftffor longitudinal movement thereof and rotarymovement therewith and provisions whereby the pinion willbe'automatically demeshed the pinionincase the pinion teeth collide withthe engine gear teeth, said means in" cluding a'sl-eeve element movablealong the shaft, including a manually operated element movingsubstantially longitudinallyof the shaft, and including means forconnecting the sleeve element and the 'man 1 ally operated element, saidmeans belng constructed and arranged so as to lmpart endwise. motionfrom the manually op'eratedelement to the sleeve and to cause rotationof the sleeve int,

case its endwise motionis obstructed, said sleeve element and pinionhaving clutching means for impart ng rotation tothe pinion;

and means tending to resist rotation of the sleeve element relative tothe shaft, one i of said elements (the I manually operable element'orthe sleeve element) being provided with aprojection extending towardthe other element and normally received by a recess provided in theother element, and resilient means for retainingsaid projection in saidi ,recess;

10. I v. g

in combination, a motor; a shaft operated by 6. Engine startingapparatus Comprising,

the motor; a pinion drivingly connected with s the shaft and movableaxially into driving connection with a gear'connected with an engine to.be startedymeans for shifting the pinion endwise into mesh with theengine gear; and for rotating the pinion in'case the movable'along theshaftandprovided with operable element carying a pin movablelongitudinally ofthe'shaft and engaging the 1 slot whereby the pin andsleeve element may move the'pinio'n into mesh with the engine ,igearwhereby the sleeve element may be rotated in case movement thereof isobstructed, f i "said sleeve elementand pinion having clutching meansfor imparting; rotation to the pinion andtmeans tending to resistrotation "of the sleeve element relative to the shaft,

one of said elements (the manually "operable element or the sleeveelement)- being prov p I] vided with a projection extending toward the Il 7 recess provided in the other element, and reother' element andnormally received by a silient means for retaining said projection in-said recess. g V v V I 7.-En 1ne'startm1 ;a paratus accordin to b b r'claim'fi, in which the meanstending to resist rotation of the sleeveelement relativeto the shaft comprises a projection carried by themanually operable-elementand normally ex- V tending intoga'recessprovided byithe sleeve,

f j I 7 f element for resiliently retaining the projecand a'springcarried by the'manually operable tion in the recess. v I g y 8.Enginestarting'apparatus according to claim 6, in which themeans tendingto resist rotation of the sleeve element relative to the shaft comprisesa plunger guidedby the pin and movable toward the sleeve into engagelmentgwith a recess provided by the sleeve, and

ajsp'r'ing carriedgby the manually operable ..element for urgingtheqplunger toward the #sleve; s 7 i I i i I 9. Engine startingapparatus according to claimj6, in which themeans tendingto resistrotationof the sleeveelement relative to the shaft comprises a plungerguided by the pin and a spring located within arecess provided t by saidpin for urging the plunger toward the sleeve and a plug closing saidrecess in the pin for retainingthe spring.

" -10. Engine startingapparatus comprising,

I signature.

in combination, a motor; a shaft operated by the motor; a piniondrivingly connected with the shaft and movable axially into drivingconnection with a gear connected with an engine to be started; means forshifting the pinion endwise into mesh with the engine gear and forrotating the pinion in case the pinion teeth collide with the enginegear teeth, said means including a sleeve element movable along theshaft, including a manual- 1y operated element moving substantiallylongitudinally of the shaft, and including means for connecting thesleeve element and the manually operated element, said means beingconstructed and arranged so as to impart endwise motion from themanually operatedelement to the sleeve and to cause rotation ofthesleeve in case its endwise motion is obstructed, said sleeve element andpinion having clutching means for imparting rotation to the pinion; andmeans tending to resist rotation of the sleeve element relative to theshaft, one of said elements (the manually operable element or the sleeveelesaid projection in said recess.

- v11. Engine starting apparatus comprising in combination, a motor; apinion drivingly connected with the motor and movable end-- wiseintomesh with a gear connected with an engine to be started; means forshifting the pinion endwise into mesh with the gear and for rotating thepinion in case the pinion teeth collide with the gear teeth, said meansincluding a pusher element mounted for rotary and axial movementscoaxially with respect to the pinion, and a manually operated elementhaving connections with the pusher element such that the manuallyoperated element tends to impart rotary and axial movements to thepus'herelement; means for transmitting rotary movements from the pusherelement to the pinion; and means tending to j resist rotations ofthepusher element and comprising a part supported by one of said elements(the pusher element or the manually operated element) and yieldinglyengageable with the other element.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my WILLIAM A. CHRYST.

